SOWING IN JANUARY
Fruits and Vegetables
CHESTNUT
In Greece, during wintertime, it’s nice to see a chestnut seller by an outdoor corner, so one can buy a small paper cone with roasted chestnuts which warm one’s hands in the frost!
The cultivation of chestnut trees has been known since ancient times for its sweet and delicious fruit.
The chestnut fruit is found inside a thorny hard case that opens when the fruit ripens. Inside the chestnut case there may be one, two or even three fruits.
Chestnuts are eaten boiled or roasted, they make excellent flour and can easily substitute potatoes.
They have less fat than other nuts.
They are used in confectionery and cooking. They are used in the stuffing of Christmas turkey, while the glazed chestnut is an exquisite winter dessert.
Plant label: common name Chestnut
Type (herbs, bushes, trees): Tree
Maximum height: 10 – 15 meters
Light preferences (shade, sun): Sun
Water requirements (little, a lot): A lot
Soil preferences (type): Acid soil, rich in nutrients
Flower colour: Yellow
Sowed in (month of the year): During winter
Cold tolerance (low- high): Quite high
Heat tolerance (low – high): Low, sensitive in temperatures over 25ο C
Chestnut’s secrets
· It belongs to the beech family together with oak
· Chestnuts are rich in nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin B complex and iron. They help in proper functioning of the intestine.
· Xenophon, an ancient Greek philosopher, called it the “bread tree”, because chestnut could replace bread, or even an entire meal, as it is rich in both carbohydrates and proteins. Even today we call chestnut the “bread tree”!
· Before the spread of potatoes and corn, in some remote mountainous parts of Europe, where cereals did not grow, chestnuts played a very important role in the diet of many people and let them survive during wintertime.
· In addition to humans, chestnuts are also eaten by deer, squirrels, bears, wild boars, some birds, and even cows!
….and the Chestnut’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and glue this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the Chestnut you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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SPRING ONION
One of the most popular vegetables of our kitchen, spring onion can be used in many different dishes and recipes, adding flavor to our food!
It has a pleasant taste, so it is often eaten raw in salads!
It is rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins, but low in calories, so it is ideal for those who watch their diet!
Plant label: common name Spring onion
Type (herbs, bushes, trees): Herbs
Maximum height: 40 – 50 cm
Light preferences (shade, sun): Sun
Water requirements (little, a lot): Some, small quantities every 4 – 5 days
Soil preferences (type): Soft, with a good drainage
Flower color: White, white – greenish and purple
Sowed in (month of the year): Year round
Cold tolerance (low- high): Low
Heat tolerance (low – high): Low, ideally it needs 15˚ C
Fresh onion’s secrets:
· It belongs to the same family as garlic and leek
· The underground part of the spring onion is called the bulb and it is basically the dry onion that we put very often in our food!
· It is very popular in Asia, where it is used in almost all recipes!
….and the spring onion’s label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and glue this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the spring onion you planted!
This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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SPINACH
One of the most delicious and popular leafy vegetables!
Spinach flavors our dishes and can be eaten raw in salads, or in recipes with pasta, rice, vegetables, meat, cuttlefish and of course…in the well known Greek dishes: spinach pie and spinach rice!
It has a high nutritional value and is rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
Plant label: common name Spinach
Type (herbs, bushes, trees): Herbs
Maximum height: 30 cm
Light preferences (shade, sun): Sun
Water requirements (little, a lot): It needs moisture, so often in spring and summer time
Soil preferences (type): Plump and rich in nutrients
Flower colour: Greenish
Sowed in (month of the year): October, November, December
Cold tolerance (low- high): High, even in frost
Heat tolerance (low – high): Low, it prefers coolness
THE SECRETS OF SPINACH
- It firstly appeared in China around 700 BC, as a gift to the emperor from the king of Nepal!
- Belongs to the same family with beets, quinoa and chard
- Spinach has a high iron content and is thus ideal for patients with anemia
- Due to its neutral taste, it matches well with all kinds of food!
- It helps in the good functioning of the intestine and strengthens our immune system
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the spinach you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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CHICORY
One of the most well-known winter vegetables, chicory can grow wild, in the fields, but it can also be easily cultivated in our garden!
It has a characteristic bitter taste, which is why it is also called bitter chicory.
It is rich in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamins, but low in calories, so it is ideal for those who watch their diet!
Plant label: common name CHICORY
Type (herb, bush, tree): herb
Maximum height: 10 – 20 cm
Light preferences (shade, sun): Sun, but short hours of sunshine
Water requirements (little, a lot): A lot, small quantities every 4- 5 days
Soil preferences (type): Rich in nutrients, with good drainage
Flower color: purple
Sowed in (month of the year): October to January
Cold tolerance (low- high): High
Heat tolerance (low – high): Low
THE CHICORY SECRETS
• We eat its leaves, either boiled, with olive oil and lemon, or raw as a salad. But very often it accompanies meat or fish, in several recipes.
• It has many varieties and types: wild white, wild red, tame, Italian, radicchio and the famous stamnagathi
• It is well known since ancient times!
….and the Chicory label!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the chicory you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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EGGPLANT
Known since ancient times, it is said eggplant’s origin is Indian.
Its fruit occurs in various shades of purple, from very dark ones (called flaska), to white (the Santorini ones).
Eggplant has an oblong shape and a fleshy texture with many seeds.
It is very tasty- it is used in many Mediterranean dishes. Especially during summer, greek tavernas serve several traditional dishes, from eggplant salad and fried eggplants, to the world famous moussaka!
China has the largest world production of eggplant, followed by India and
Turkey.
In Europe, the first country in eggplant production is Italy, followed by
Spain and Greece.
Half of Greek eggplant is grown in Crete!
THE SECRETS OF EGGPLANT
- “Tsakonian” eggplants (grown in the Peloponese) are particularly well-known in Greece: they are long-shaped, narrow,purple with whitestripes and very tasty
- Because eggplants are long and narrow, when we fill it with minced meatand cover it with béchamel sauce, we call it a “small shoe”(papoutsaki)
- In Greece, an Eggplant Festival is organized during summer in Leonidio,
where visitors can try many eggplant recipes! - In the Peloponese, one can even try sweet eggplant in syrup!
Click the photo below, adjust its size, print it, use your scissors in order to cut the outline and stick this label on a wooden stick from an ice cream! Then put the stick in the soil next to the Eggplant you planted! This way, you will know which plant it is, especially when you plant and grow different plants at the same time!
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FRESH HERBS
PARSLEY
…AND HERE IS THE PARSLEY LABEL!
Click on the photo below, adjust the size, print, Cut the border with scissors and Glue this paper tag on an ice cream stick!Place the stick in the soil of the Parsley you just planted!
Place the stick in the soil of the parsley you just planted!
This way you will know which plant it is, especially later when you will grow many plants at the same time!
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